Stronger
by Ominae
Summary: Setsuna F. Seiei encourages Sumeragi Lee Noriega to believe in herself and escape her depression, 4 years after Celestial Being was nearly defeated by the UN Army. SPOILER: Episode 2 of Gundam 00, Season 2.


Mobile Suit Gundam 00/Kidou Senshi Gundam 00 - Stronger

By: Ominae

Rating: T

NOTE:

All characters of Gundam 00 are under the copyright of Seiji Mizushima, Sunrise and the Manichi Broadcasting System.

To all readers:

This takes place in episode 2 of Gundam 00's 2nd Season while Setsuna and Sumeragi are inside the orbital elevator en route to the space station, where Sumeragi is wallowing in self-pity.

Summary:

Setsuna F. Seiei encourages Sumeragi Lee Noriega to believe in herself and escape her depression, 4 years after Celestial Being was nearly defeated by the UN Army. SPOILER: Episode 2 of Gundam 00, Season 2.

* * *

Cabin, Orbital Elevator Train, en route to Geostationary Orbital Station

* * *

"So you're running?"

"Can't I? All I want to do is escape. I'm not as strong as you are."

Setsuna F. Seiei and Sumeragi Lee Noriega, rather Soran Ibrahim and Kujo, were alone inside an orbital elevator train cabin heading straight from Tenchu's ground orbital elevator station to the Geostationary Orbital Station above the Earth.

"Why?" Setsuna was frustrated to see his captain being pessimistic. "You were not like this before."

"Don't you see Setsuna?" Sumeragi had began to shout her lungs out at Setsuna. "Didn't you listen to what I said?! Nothing has changed back on Earth after the UN forces had fought against us! More people are suffering under the wrath of the A-LAWs and their soldiers because of us!"

Setsuna sighed. _She needs to understand straight to the point. _

The young Kurdish man walked straight up in front of Sumeragi. What happened next was a shocker to the auburn-haired woman.

He slapped her. Real hard.

"Setsuna." Sumeragi placed her right hand over her right cheek, feeling the sting. Setsuna further surprised her when he knelt down on the carpeted floor in front of her.

"When I was initially recruited into Celestial Being," Setsuna spoke to Sumeragi, no longer angry on his earlier action. "I was like you. Unsure, unaware and even wondering if it was worth all the trouble. The trouble to be the Gundam Meister that I am today."

Sumeragi's eyes were wide open, hearing Setsuna tell his story. _I remember. I was one of the first to greet him when VEDA had recommended him to be a Meister under my command._

"I felt like putting a pistol on my temple and just fire it because I lost faith in the cause of the KPSA and to Allah after _that man _had told me to shoot my own parents, supposedly due to Allah's wishes..." Setsuna said, snarling the words _that man_ like it was meant for a particular person.

Sumeragi didn't know why she felt her chest was slowly being painful after she placed her left hand on it.

"But you were there for me." Setsuna sighed again. "You tried to cheer me up during those troubled times that I had. Telling me not to bind myself with the past, move on and redeem myself for my past actions."

"I..." Sumeragi felt ashamed. _Oh geez! Now I'm the one who should be the one cheering up the guys instead of being the other way around._

"I had to thank you for that." Setsuna stared at Sumeragi, still kneeling on the floor. "Without you, I guess I would have decided to commit suicide instead..."

"That's enough, Setsuna!" Sumeragi had Setsuna in her arms, her head on the Kurdish man's left shoulder. "Really, that's enough." Sumeragi whispered on Setsuna's left ear.

"I understand what you want to point out to me." Sumeragi's arms were around Setsuna's head, her fingers gently touching his hair. "Drowning my sorrows won't bring back Christina and Lichtendahl back from their graves."

Setsuna was about to say something when Sumeragi reminded him. "Shh. Let me talk first, kay?"

"Mmmm..." Setsuna didn't say anything else except to grunt in reply.

"At least I have someone to help me through this tough time." Sumeragi stared at Setsuna and placed a hand on his left cheek. "Thank you Setsuna. I realized that we need to fight on again in order to make sure that their deaths were not in vain." She looked outside to see the black space above the Earth. "At least until we can show the world that the actions and policies of the A-LAWs are not to be tolerated."

Sumeragi had smiled at Setsuna. Setsuna had done so likewise, not being able to show a pleasant smile to anyone else in Celestial Being other than Sumeragi herself before the death of his parents by his hands.

The Orbital Elevator soon stopped after the announcement came on the PA system that it had docked with the space station. Setsuna stood up and was about to disembark when he felt Sumeragi's arms around his waist.

"Sumeragi..." Setsuna was a bit alarmed, though calm.

"Setsuna." Sumeragi leaned her forehead on his back. "I need to..."

"Aahhh..." Setsuna stayed still for a few seconds before he reminded her. "Sumeragi, we need to move."

"Okay."

Setsuna was the first to exit the train, but he felt Sumeragi's hand grabbing his right arm.

"Setsuna."

The black-haired man turned his head around, seeing Sumeragi blush a bit.

"Wait for me."

Setsuna nodded and smiled a bit to her. "Okay."

"At least until we get back to the others."

THE END

PS - I actually planned to do a fic that happens to be a parody of the encounter between Setsuna, Sumeragi and Billy or maybe a Setsuna/Marina fic related to her arrest by A-LAWS soldiers. I'm not sure how to run it though. But if anyone wants to try out this idea, let me know. I'd like to see how it goes with you guys/gals. I'm not sure if I'd like to categorize this romance, but maybe it's a secondary genre. Decided to give a Setsuna/Sumeragi drama/comfort/maybe romance/what genre you want except no action, horror, parody, etc. I wish it worked out okay as it's one of my few fics to feature this. XP

As always, let me know for mistakes so's I can correct them. Thanks.

Don't worry, I still like the following Setsuna pairings:

1. Setsuna/Marina

2. Setsuna/Feldt (Felt would've been better IMO)

3. Setsuna/Christina (Haven't seen anyone try this...)

4. Setsuna/Harem


End file.
